For art above a sofa or bed, aim for a piece – or the total width of a group – that is about two-thirds of the furniture's width, and hang it so the bottom edge sits 15 to 25 cm above the back of the sofa or the bedhead. That one rule fixes the most common mistake we see: art that is too small and floating too high.
What size art above a sofa: the two-thirds rule
Measure the width of your sofa and multiply by 0.66. That is your target art width. A 2.1 m sofa suits art around 1.4 m wide; a 1.8 m sofa suits around 1.2 m. If one piece that size feels like too much, you can get there with two pieces side by side, keeping a gap of about 5 to 8 cm.
Together shows the rule in action. This bold, colourful abstract – blocks of mustard, red, teal and leaf green – sits centred over a green velvet sofa, roughly two-thirds of its width. The yellow in the print matches the cushions, and the proportions make the whole wall feel planned.
When smaller art works
A smaller print can work above a sofa if you deliberately offset it and balance it with something tall. Magnolia in Vase – creamy magnolias with a brushy, painterly look on a deep teal background – hangs towards one end of a pale blue sofa, with a tall palm on the other side balancing the wall. Use this approach in rooms with a window or radiator that limits where art can go.
Square art for big, open walls
Large square prints are a great choice for tall walls, open-plan rooms and spaces without a sofa. The Soul of Flowers I is a soft abstract of cream blossoms scattered through warm brown, blush and charcoal. In a grey music room with a piano and tall windows, its size holds the wall on its own. Squares also suit walls where a wide landscape would feel squashed.
For extra-large walls, our Large Scale Art collection has very large pieces made as two sections that join into one image – helpful when a single panel would be too big to deliver or carry.
What size art above a bed
The same two-thirds rule applies to the bed's width, not the bedhead. A queen bed is about 1.5 m wide, so art around 1 m wide works; a king (about 1.8 m) suits art around 1.2 m.
Petals in Cloud II is a square abstract in dusty pink, charcoal and soft grey, with a cloudy, layered feel. Centred over a low timber bed with white linen, it fills the wall comfortably without crowding the pendant lights on either side.
For a softer, warmer bedroom, Wobble is an abstract of overlapping cream, sand and ochre shapes. In a landscape format above a dark timber bed it keeps the room relaxed – and shows how a landscape print suits a wide bed, while a square suits a narrower one.
Above a dining table or sideboard
Use the same idea with your dining table or sideboard: art about two-thirds the length of the furniture, hung 20 to 30 cm above the tabletop. Yellow Scene of Sydney Opera House is a wide landscape of the Opera House sails glowing over golden water. Above a long rustic dining table it is the right length and brings sunshine to a white room.
Hanging height cheat sheet
- Above a sofa: bottom of the art 15–25 cm above the sofa back.
- Above a bed: bottom of the art 20–30 cm above the bedhead.
- On an empty wall: centre of the art about 145–150 cm from the floor.
- Above a sideboard or table: bottom of the art 20–30 cm above the surface.
A quick way to test before you buy
Cut newspaper or brown paper to the size you are considering and tape it to the wall for a day. Walk past it, sit on the sofa, lie in bed. If it looks small on paper, it will look small framed – go one size up. Our Size guide lists every size we offer, and the living room collection is a good place to compare shapes.
FAQ
Should art be wider than the sofa?
No. Art wider than the sofa looks top-heavy. Keep it to about two-thirds to three-quarters of the sofa's width.
Is one large piece or two smaller pieces better?
Both work. One large piece is calmer and more modern; two matching pieces suit symmetrical rooms. Keep the total width close to two-thirds of the furniture.
How high should art hang above a bed?
Leave about 20 to 30 cm between the top of the bedhead and the bottom of the frame so you will not bump it when sitting up.
